Secrets of the Medjai: Slices of Life, Part 5 - A Woman's Touch
by J-R Virtual Seasons
Summary: Evy provides emotional support when Yanit goes into labour. This slice of life takes place shortly after the virtual special 'Many Happy Returns'.


Fadil burst into a room that contained Evy, Michael and Jonathan.

'Mrs O'Connell, it's happening!' Fadil announced breathlessly.

'Please, Fadil, do call me Evy,' Evy replied. 'And _what's_ happening, exactly?'

'Yanit's gone into labour,' Fadil explained. 'The physician's already with her.'

'Jonathan,' said Evy, jumping to her feet at once, 'I need you to stay here and look after Mikey for a while.'

'But I'm no good at babysitting,' Jonathan moaned.

'Either you stay here with Mikey or you go along to Alex's room and support Yanit while she delivers her baby!' said Evy.

'In that case, I'll stay here,' said Jonathan, grinning sheepishly. 'I wouldn't know what to do for Yanit except stand there and say "Go on, give birth" in an encouraging, nurturing manner.'

'I'm not sure _I_ have any more of a plan than that,' Evy confessed.

'You'll help her just by being there, sis,' said Jonathan. 'I mean, I'm not trying to be sexist or anything, but some situations really do require a woman's touch, don't they?'

'Well,' Evy said with a smile, 'I don't think it can ever really hurt.'

* * *

'Oh my God, it's all too much!' Yanit wailed. 'I can't do this – I simply can't do it, Evy!'

'Of course you can, sweetheart,' said Evy, patting Yanit's hand supportively.

'I'm too young to become a mother!' Yanit moaned, tears now running down her cheeks.

'I don't believe that's true, in any sense,' Evy said firmly.

'How did I even get myself into this situation?' Yanit wept. 'I shouldn't have depended on that useless spermicidal gel – the leaflet _said_ it wasn't very reliable unless used in conjunction with a barrier method! I should've bought those other things instead – the sheaths!'

'It's a bit late to worry about that now,' Evy pointed out.

'Why did we have to keep having sex the whole time?' Yanit wailed. 'Why didn't we do it the _other_ way more often? Why didn't we just abstain? Oh Evy, what must you think of me? I corrupted your son before he was fifteen! Did you know that?'

'I had sort of gathered it, yes,' Evy said, with a reassuring smile. 'But darling, I'm sure there was no corruption involved. I'm so glad you and Alex found each other. If it wasn't for you, I truly believe he would've gone crazy or become evil or possibly both! You love each other more than can be put into words – you don't need me to tell you that – and now you're having a baby together, and that's a wonderful, natural thing. Yes, you may be a little younger than one might have hoped – both of you, I mean – but that's really not important, when it comes to the crunch.'

'You're... you're right,' said Yanit, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. 'I _do_ love Alex, with all my heart, and I'm so excited that we're having a baby together, but... oh my God, here comes another one!'

'You just squeeze my hand as much as you need to, sweetheart,' said Evy. 'It'll all be over soon, I promise.'

Yanit crushed Evy's hand rather severely as she fought her way through the contraction; Evy's face contorted with discomfort, but she said nothing about it.

'Oh, Evy,' Yanit panted, as Evy wiped the sweat from her patient's brow, 'I wish I had a mother like you.'

'Well... you do, in a way,' said Evy. 'I mean, you do right now... because here I am.'

Yanit started crying again, and flung her arms around Evy's neck.

'I can't even _remember_ my own mother!' Yanit wailed. 'I loved my father very much, despite his backwards views on certain things, but even when I was very small, I couldn't help but feel sometimes that I was missing... well, that I might really benefit from...'

'A woman's touch?' Evy suggested.

'Exactly,' said Yanit. 'But I guess I have that now, huh?'

'You have it whenever you want it,' Evy assured her.

Yanit smiled up at Evy for a few seconds, then her face contorted as another contraction took hold.

'We must be close,' said Evy, shooting a sidelong glance at the physician.

'We are,' he replied. 'I can see the head.'

'Okay, Yanit,' said Evy, 'we're nearly there now.'

'Where the hell is Alex?' Yanit yelled.

'He's still in Cairo, sweetheart,' said Evy. 'He'll be beating himself up for ages for missing this.'

'Oh, he mustn't do that,' said Yanit. 'God, I love him – he's so kind and he's so wonderful and he makes me feel like there's no one in the world but the two of us when we're making love. Oh my God, I shouldn't have told you that, should I?'

'You tell me whatever you feel the need to, darling,' said Evy.

'One big push should do it now,' said the physician. 'Don't fight it when it comes, Yanit.'

'Okay,' said Yanit, grasping Evy's hand once again. 'You won't leave me, will you, Mother? I mean Evy! ARGH!'

'Of course I won't leave you, Yanit,' said Evy. 'Now, one last effort and we're done!'

'Oh my GOD!' Yanit yelled, screwing her eyes shut and emitting a bestial roar.

'That's right,' said Evy, 'you just let it all out, sweetheart.'

The physician adjusted the position of his hands and prepared to receive the baby.

* * *

Alex entered his bedroom to find Evy sitting beside the bed with Michael on her knee, Jonathan milling about nearby, and Yanit suckling a newborn baby. Yanit looked up at Alex and smiled warmly; Alex's mouth dropped open and his knees buckled.

'Oh my God...' he breathed, clutching at the wall for support.

'Easy there, mate,' said Jonathan, darting over to place a supportive arm around his nephew's shoulders. 'It's a lot to take in, isn't it?'

Two minutes later, Alex was sitting on the edge of the bed with his daughter cradled in his arms. He looked down at her through distinctly tearful eyes, a huge smile plastered across his face.

'Oh my God,' he said again, a distinct note of elation in his voice this time.

'What's her name?' Jonathan asked.

'Jonathan,' Evy said severely, 'they may not have discussed that yet – you shouldn't ask!'

'I just want to know the name of my great-niece,' said Jonathan. 'There's no need to bite my head off, sis.'

'Actually, we _have_ discussed the matter at some length,' said Yanit. 'We're both in agreement, aren't we, Alex?'

'Yes, Yanit,' said Alex. 'Should I tell them, or do you want to?'

'You do it, sweetie,' said Yanit.

'Her name is Emma,' said Alex.

'That was my mother's name,' said Evy.

'And _my_ mother's, coincidentally enough,' said Jonathan.

'I've always liked the name,' said Alex.

'I think Emma is an absolutely superb name,' said Yanit, 'Alex suggested it, of course.'

'Oh, Alex, that's quite wonderful,' said Evy, smiling warmly at him.

'Did you have a boy's name agreed on as well, in case you needed it?' Jonathan asked.

'Yes,' said Yanit, 'but we'd better keep that one a secret, in case we need it later on.'

Everyone's attention was then diverted by Michael, who was reaching out towards Emma with an expression of keen interest on his face. Evy rose to her feet and brought her younger son within touching distance of her granddaughter; Michael immediately reached out and gently stroked the baby's head.

'Oh my God, he likes her!' Alex laughed.

'How wonderful,' said Yanit, smiling. 'I bet they'll be the best of friends.'

'This is your niece, Mikey; her name's Emma,' said Evy. 'You must always do your best to be a good uncle to her.'

'You won't be as good an uncle as some of us are, of course,' said Jonathan. 'But then we can't all be blessed with the same natural skill, can we?'

'I've never felt happier than I feel right now,' Alex said. 'If only Dad and Grandpa were here, everything would be perfect.'

'Ardeth's seeing about getting word to them both,' said Evy. 'Soon the O'Connell family will all be together for the first time.'

'And hopefully not the last,' said Alex.

Evy gave Alex a watery smile, and nodded.


End file.
